Slipper



P 1962 1.. KRAMER 3,052,046

SLIPPER Filed Jan. 6, 1961 FIC5.|

INVENTOR.

LEWIS KRAMER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,052,046 SLIPPER Lewis Kramer, 6723 N. 17th St., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Jan. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 81,093 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-9) This invention relates to a slipper, and more particularly to a slipper capable of being worn outdoors as well as indoors.

Heretofore, it has been conventional to secure the upper of a slipper to the sole by means of an interlock stitch joining inturned edges on the upper and the sole. A slipper of this type has certain disadvantages. The portion of the upper adjacent the inturned edge lies in the same plane or slightly below the plane of the lowermost surface of the sole. Accordingly, the portions of the upper adjacent the inturned edge are subject to wear.

The slipper of the present invention overcomes the above mentioned disadvantage by providing a radially outwardly directed flange on the sole which extends from a beveled surface on a side edge of the sole. This flange provides an anchoring portion to which the inturned edge of the upper may be secured by a conventional stitch.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel slipper.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a slipper having an upper stitched to a sole so that the upper is not subject to wear when the slipper is worn outdoors.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a slipper having an upper secured to the lowermost surface of a flange on a sole of synthetic resin, whereby the slipper may be worn indoors or outdoors.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the slipper of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the slipper of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a slipper designated generally as 10.

The slipper includes an upper 12. The upper 12 includes upper half 14 and upper half 16 secured together along toe seam 18 and heel seam 21) by stitching not shown.

The upper halves 14 and 16 have an elastic band 22 secured thereto by stitching 24. The band 22 defines an aperture through which a foot extends when the slipper 10 is being worn. An ornament 26 is secured along the toe seam 18 in any conventional manner.

The entire periphery of the upper 12 at its lowermost edge is secured to a sole 28. The sole 28 is preferably made from a synthetic resin or rubber and is provided with recesses 30 on its lowermost surface. The recesses 30 are in the form of a criss-cross pattern. The side edge of the sole 28 is provided with a beveled surface 32. A radially extending flange 34 extends from the uppermost surface of the sole 28 as shown more clearly in FIGURE 3. A fabric insole 36 is provided on the uppermost surface of the sole 28 including the flange 34.

The upper 12 may be made of fabric, vinyl which has the appearance of leather, or may be a laminated structure as shown in FIGURE 3. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the upper halves 14 and 16 are provided "ice with an outer layer 38 which may be a vinyl material having the appearance of leather, an intermediate layer 40 and an inner layer 42. The intermediate layer 40 is preferably an open cell foam polymeric material such as polyurethane. The inner layer 42 is preferably a fabric. The intermediate layer 40 is fused to the layers 38 and 42 by applying heat and pressure.

The intermediate layer 40 provides an insulation barrier for warmth. Also, the intermediate layer 40 enables the inner layer 42 to be moved outwardly thereby accommodating a persons foot which may have stockings thereon of various thicknesses.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the lowermost edge of the upper halves 14 and 16 are turned inwardly and juxtaposed to the lowermost surface on the flange 34. A straight stitch 44 joins the insole 36, the flange 34, and the inturned edge on the upper halves 14 and 16. The sole 28 has a thickness which has been designed so that it is greater than the thickness of the flange 34 and the inturned edge on the upper halves 14 and 16. Therefore, when the slipper 10 of the present invention is being worn, the outer layer 38 of the halves 14 and 16 cannot contact the ground surface. Therefore, the slipper 10 of the present invention may be worn outdoors at such places as the beach, the back yard, etc. as well as indoors.

The free edges of the laminated upper along the toe seam 18 are shown in FIGURE 3. If desired, a strip of lining material may be applied over these free edges.

The edge of the upper halves 14 and 16 defines the opening through which a foot extends so as to correspond with the shape the slipper assumes when it is being worn. The elastic band 22 secured around said free edges of the upper halves 14 and 16 has a length which is smaller than the periphery of the opening defined by the upper edge of the upper halves 14 and 16 in the position of the slipper 10 as it is being worn. Accordingly, the slipper 1t) assumes the shape shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2 when it is not being worn. When the slipper 10 is being worn, the elastic band 22 stretches and assists in maintaining the slipper 10 on the foot of a person wearing the same.

As used hereinafter, the sole 28 may be referred to as a sole of plastic material. In this manner, it will be clear that the sole 28 may be made from any one of a plurality of synthetic resins as well as rubber. As used hereinafter, the flange 34 may be referred to as a flange extending radially outwardly from the periphery of the sole. As used hereinafter, the lowermost surface on the flange 34 is to be interpreted as that surface on the flange 34 which is juxtaposed to the inturned edge on the upper 12 and opposite to that surface on the flange 34 which is juxtaposed to the insole 36.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A slipper comprising an upper, an elastic band secured to said upper thereby defining a foot receiving aperture, a sole of plastic material, a flange extending radially outwardly from the periphery of said sole, said flange being integral with said sole, the lowermost edge of said upper being turned in and stitched to the lowermost surface of said flange, and the combined thickness of said flange and said turned in edge on said upper being less than the thickness of said sole.

2. A slipper in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sole is provided with a beveled surface extending from said lowermost surface on said flange to the lowermost surface on said sole.

3. A slipper in accordance with claim 1 wherein said upper is a laminar structure having a vinyl outer layer, a fabric inner layer, and an open cell polymeric material intermediate said inner and outer layers and fused thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,550,334 Dahlhouser Apr. 24, 1951 Giese Dec. 22, Reed May 25, Scholl July 9, Arnold Aug. 5, Kramer Mar. 1, Servin May 3, Servin Aug. 15, 

